Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
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Template:Airport frame Template:Airport title Template:Airport image Template:Airport infobox Template:Runway title Template:Runway Template:Runway Template:Airport end frame Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is an airport located about 8 miles from downtown Austin, Texas. The airport began passenger service on May 23, 1999 under the IATA Airport Code code AUS. In 2001, the airport handled more than 7 million passengers.
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History
Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, originally built on open farmland, served the air traffic needs of Austin starting October 14, 1930. In 1942, the City of Austin purchased land and donated the land to the United States government for a military installation, with the stipulation that the city would get the land back when the government no longer needed it. This land became Bergstrom Air Force Base.
In the 1950s, developers began building residential areas beneath the flight paths of Mueller and, in parallel, the number of arrivals and departures at the airport increased dramatically because of the growth of the city. Citizens began to complain about the noise. Also, at 7,269 feet, the runway at Mueller was too short to handle new planes such as the 747.
The city began considering options for a new airport as early as 1971, when the Federal Aviation Administration proposed that Austin and San Antonio build a joint regional airport. That idea was rejected, as few Austinites supported driving half way to San Antonio to catch a flight.
In the 1976, the city submitted a proposal to the United States Air Force for joint use of Bergstrom AFB. The Air Force rejected the proposal in 1978 as being too disruptive to its operations.
In the 1980s, neighborhoods around Mueller applied enough political pressure to force the city council to choose a site for a new airport from locations under consideration. On November 1, 1987, a voter referendum finally approved a site near Manor, Texas. The city began acquiring the land and fighting lawsuits from the Sierra Club and others concerned about the Manor location.
In 1991, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission selected Bergstrom AFB for closure and gave the nod to the city for it to be used as a civilian airport. The city council resolved to move the airport to the Bergstrom site in 1991 and received voter approval in 1993. Goundbreaking for the airport was November 19, 1994 and air cargo operations began on June 30, 1997. Bergstrom had the designator BSM until Mueller's final closure, when it took Mueller's IATA code of AUS.
Facility
Terminal
Barbara Jordan Terminal is 600,000 square feet (56,000 m²) with a total of 25 gates. Inside the terminal, many local restaurants are leased concession space so that visitors can get a "taste of Austin" as they come through. The terminal also has a live music stage on which local bands perform in keeping with the spirit of Austin's proclamation as "The Live Music Capital of the World."
Runways
Runway 17R/35L, to the west of the terminal is the original runway built and used by the Air Force. The 12,250 foot (3734 m) long runway was reconditioned when Austin-Bergstrom was built. The runway is dedicated to former President Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Runway 17L/35R is a new 9,000 foot (2743 m) runway on the east side of the terminal and parallel with runway 17R/35L. This runway is dedicated to former Congressman J.J. "Jake" Pickle.
The runways are watched over by a new twenty story air traffic control tower. The tower used by the Air Force was demolished during construction.
Airlines and destinations
- American Airlines (Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston Hobby, Los Angeles, San Jose)
- American Eagle (Raleigh/Durham, beginning Oct. 2004)
- America West Airlines (Phoenix and Las Vegas)
- Comair dba Delta Connection (Cincinnati)
- Continental Airlines (Houston Bush, Newark)
- Continental Express (Cleveland, Houston Bush)
- Delta Air Lines (Atlanta, Cincinnati)
- Atlantic Southeast Airlines and dba Delta Connection (Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth)
- Funjet Charters (Cancun)
- Frontier Airlines (Denver)
- Northwest Airlines (Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Indianapolis, starts 6/05)
- Mesaba Airlines and Pinnacle Airlines dba Northwest Airlink (Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis)
- Southwest Airlines (Baltimore/Washington, Dallas Love, El Paso, Harlingen, Houston Hobby, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, Chicago - Midway)
- Trans States Airlines dba American Connection (St. Louis)
- United Airlines (Denver and San Francisco)
- Mesa Airlines and SkyWest dba United Express (Chicago O' Hare, Denver, Washington Dulles)
External links
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Homepage (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/austinairport/)
References
- "Timeline". Building a Vision (http://mather.ar.utexas.edu/students/cadlab/mueller/RMMA/timeline.html). Retrieved May 18, 2005.
- "Fast Facts". Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/austinairport/projsum.htm). Retrieved May 18, 2005.